Jacksonville, Florida's Museum of Science and History, or 'MOSH', is a local and traveler's favorite destination. Featuring local history and science exhibits, MOSH is Jacksonville's most visited museum. The museum is perfect for families and adults interested in historical or science exhibits. Field trips for schools and homeschools are scheduled often.
Best and worst time to go to the Museum of Science & History
The best time visit the MOSH, between Labor Day and Memorial Day, is between 11:00 and 3:30. Though summertime visits will be busier, the museum will be just as enjoyable.
Must see/do at the Museum of Science & History
The Planetarium is a favorite stop within the museum, providing amazing weather-related films, a tour of the solar system and, for the little ones, Sesame Street movies. Priding itself on being the largest digital single lens planetarium in the country, the MOSH's Planetarium provides a state-of-the-art movie experience.
'The Body Within' core exhibit is a walk-thru of the human body, providing a unique and interesting look at how the human body works.
'Currents of Time' allows visitors to time-warp back 12,000 years to learn the history of Northeast Florida from the Timucuas to the '60s.
Admission to the Museum of Science and History
Admission prices are divided into the following three groups: Adults, children 3-12, and seniors, students and military. The ticket prices range between $6-10.
Parking and public transportation to the Museum of Science & History
There are two free parking lots for visitors, and also spaces within walking distances that offer paid parking. For those arriving by taxi, there is a circle drive in front of the museum that can be used as a drop-off location.
Food at the Museum of Science & History
Food and drink aren't allowed, and there are no food purchase options within the museum. Water fountains are in different locations of the museum.
Insider tip for visitors to the Museum of Science & History
The MOSH is a nursing free environment, allowing nursing mothers to freely breastfeed in public. They also provide access to St. Vincent's Healthcare First Aid Room, if privacy is preferred. Stroller rentals are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and are $2.00.
Author's bio: Debra Pamplin has been a freelance writer since 2008, and has been published on websites such as USA Today Travel, Yahoo and Coldwell Banker. Her bylines have appeared in magazines such as 'Floss', 'AAA Southern Traveler' and 'Missouri Life'.
Smack dab in an area once known as the Harlem of the South sits the Ritz Theatre and Museum, its neon red "Ritz" sign and corner striping the only remainders of the original 1929 music house. The venue houses a 400-seat theatre that hosts music, amateur nights, and theatrical events. The museum has walk-in exhibits designed to expose visitors to the history and ambience of the African American neighborhood.
Parking at the Ritz Theatre and Museum
Parking is free and plentiful.
Best and worst times to go to the Ritz Theatre and Museum
There really isn't a bad time to visit the museum, but it may be helpful to know that during late September to mid-October and in mid-January the Ritz installs new exhibits. During that period, often only the permanent side of the museum is open. One of the best ways to appreciate the Ritz Theatre and Museum involves planning ahead. Arrange to attend an event on a night the museum will be open. Get a drink at the theatre bar and stroll through the museum before your event starts. You'll get the full experience.
Admission to the Ritz Theatre and Museum
Museum prices are under $10 and include a free tour if you call ahead and make a reservation.
Must see/do at the Ritz Theatre and Museum
Make it a priority to see the Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing! animatronic exhibit that features James Weldon Johnson and his brother John Rosamond Johnson. With the late actor Ossie Davis voicing James and singer/actor Harry Burney voicing John, they speak about growing up in Jacksonville, their respective careers, and how they came to write "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing."
Other places to visit near the Ritz Theatre and Museum
More African American history memorabilia can be found a few blocks away in the Clara White Mission and Museum. Housed in the century-old Globe Theatre, it is the oldest African American mission in the state of Florida. Also nearby is the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, which is free. It's located in a massive Greek Revival structure with Doric columns that was built in 1921.
Insider tip for visitors to the Ritz Theatre and Museum
Pay close attention to the Ellie Lee Weems photography exhibit. Weems was an African American photographer who spent roughly 50 years documenting life in the Deep South. A number of visitors have been surprised to find relatives, and sometimes themselves, in his photos.
Author's bio: Freelance writer Barbara Merchant roams Jacksonville and St. Augustine with the experienced eye of a native and the open eagerness of a tourist.
The second floor of this ordinary-looking, three-story mission is a museum devoted to the life and work of an astute businesswoman, who was also a teacher, opera singer, and social reformer. She amassed more than a million dollars in her lifetime, yet used it to fund her humanitarian work. Eartha M. M. White crossed the color lines during the Jim Crow era to build not only the first black mission in the state of Florida but also the first black heritage museum. Both still thrive. She developed employment training programs, a senior citizen center, a childcare center for working mothers, and more. Her friends ranged from the internationally powerful to the homeless.
Parking at the Clara White Mission and Museum
Park across the street from the mission in the volunteer and staff lot. Observe the shell of a building next door. It is the site of the former Wynn Hotel, where Louis Armstrong liked to stay when he played Jacksonville.
Admission to the Clara White Mission and Museum
The museum is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday by appointment. Admission price is under $5. Tours are free, but reservations are encouraged. Groups of ten or more must reserve in advance (904-354-4162).
Must see/do at the Clara White Mission and Museum
Don't skip the guest bedroom, where some of history's who's who stayed, among them Eleanor Roosevelt, Cab Calloway, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Stetson Kennedy. Take time to look at the ornate Tiffany light fixture that hangs over the dining table across the hall. Notice the layout and size of the living room. It sometimes doubled as a church with music provided by the impressive, heavy organ given to Eartha White by a member of Duke Ellington's band.
Other places to visit near the Clara White Mission and Museum
A few blocks northeast is the Ritz Theatre and Museum, which has memorabilia devoted to the area once known as the "Harlem of the South." Nearby Hemming Park, the scene of Ax Handle Saturday during the Civil Rights era, has two fountains and an Imagination Playground. The Florida Theatre is several blocks away. Dating back to 1927, it is one of the remaining examples of the elaborate theatres built in Florida during that time.
Insider tip for visitors to the Clara White Mission and Museum
Look for the picture of the baseball team Eartha White started during World War II with military personnel. If the third floor is open, examine the doors and ornate hinges that are original to this century-old building.
Author's bio: Freelance writer Barbara Merchant roams Jacksonville and St. Augustine with the experienced eye of a native and the open eagerness of a tourist.
Be on the lookout for wildlife and potholes as you make your way down the dirt road that leads to Kingsley Plantation. The historic site is maintained by the National Park Service and is part of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Located on Fort George Island, Kingsley Plantation includes slave quarters, plantation house, kitchen house, a barn and visitors center.
Best and worst times to go to Kingsley Plantation
The place is at its busiest in February and March, but if you want to avoid the crowds, as well as the Florida heat and bugs, go during October and April.
Must see/do at Kingsley Plantation
Make the slave quarters your first stop. This is the largest collection of original tabby slave quarters in the United States. Call ahead to reserve a spot for one of the twice-a-day plantation house tours that are held only on weekends. The park permits no more than 12 people per tour because the centuries-old floors can accommodate only a limited amount of weight.
Admission to the Kingsley Plantation
There is no admission or parking charge. Even the recorded audio tours are free, but you will need a photo ID to check them out.
Parking and public transportation
Parking is free in a designated lot by the site. There is no public transportation.
Food at Kingsley Plantation
Picnicking is allowed on the grounds, but there are no established picnic areas. The bookstore sells bottled water, but no snacks or sodas.
Insider tip for visitors to Kingsley Plantation
Talk to the rangers. They have a wealth of stories to share about the place. Bring mosquito repellent.
Other places to visit
Little Talbot Island State Park and the Ribault Club are close by.
Author's bio: Freelance writer Barbara Merchant roams Jacksonville and St. Augustine with the experienced eye of a native and the open eagerness of a tourist.
With artwork dating from 2100 B.C.E. to current day, the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens is a wonderful walk through the world's art timeline. The museum features ancient Greek, Roman, Etruscan, and Egyptian art, American and European paintings (including works by Andy Warhol and Norman Rockwell), pieces from the Harlem Renaissance, a Meissen porcelain collection, and special exhibits. Lush, historic gardens overlooking the St. Johns River are also part of the museum tour. The gardens are original to the Cummer family property and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Parking at the Cummer Museum
Park for free at the main lot across the street from the museum or at the corner lot on Riverside Ave. and Post St. There is also free parking on streets near the museum.
Admission to the Cummer Museum
Students and senior citizens get a discount, children 5 and younger are free, and adults pay $10. Admission is free for everyone on Tuesdays, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and on the first Saturday of each month, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Military families receive free admission Memorial Day through Labor Day, then $6 admission the rest of the year. College students with ID are admitted free Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Best/Worst Time to visit the Cummer Museum
Wednesdays are a great day to visit the museum because there are usually fewer people. March and April are excellent months to tour the gardens. They are in full bloom and look their best. Late summer can be a difficult time to tour them because of the Florida heat, but the museum itself is air conditioned inside. Weekends tend to be busy. During the school year, there are often school tours going on at the museum, but they generally end before 12. The museum is still open to the public during that time. Don't come on a Monday when the museum is closed.
Must see/do at the Cummer Museum
Make the gardens a priority. They are over a hundred years old and are adorned with fountains, sculptures, arbors, and rare plants. Designed by some of the famous names in landscape architecture history, among them Ellen Biddle Shipman, each one has its own style and gives the sense of visiting different garden rooms. If coming with the kids, don't leave without visiting the interactive exhibit. Take time to see "Return from the Harvest," a 19th century photorealism oil painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau and "The Diving Boy," a bronze sculpture by Jacksonville native Augusta Savage, who played an important role in the Harlem Renaissance.
Other places to visit near the Cummer Museum
Keep up your art tour by visiting the nearby Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), which has works by Alexander Calder, Helen Frankenthaler, among others. From there, head to the Ritz Theatre and Museum to see the Ellie Lee Weems photography collection and take in the latest special art exhibit.
Insider tip for visitors to the Cummer Museum
Notice the bright red, steel kinetic sculpture on the museum's front lawn. Called "The Sea of the Ear Rings" and created by artist Takashi Soga, it is an open vertical ring adjoined near the top of an open horizontal ring. Watch carefully. The top ring will move up and down in response to the wind.
Author's bio: Freelance writer Barbara Merchant roams Jacksonville and St. Augustine with the experienced eye of a native and the open eagerness of a tourist.
